A video has surfaced on social media showing the moment a violent fight broke out between a group of uniformed Marines and civilians outside a popular Texas nightclub. According to the New York Post, the incident happened on Sunday outside the Voodoo Room nightclub on Austin’s Sixth Street, Texas.
The fight started after a woman allegedly took a Marine’s phone and threw it away during a verbal altercation. A young man in a white hoodie then stepped up and attempted to punch one of the Marines, but missed his target. Soon other Marines rushed to their colleagues’ defence resulting in an all-out brawl between the two groups. The Marines and civilians exchanged several punches and blows, leading to complete chaos. The Marines knocked down one of the men after he landed three punches on a Marine.
Marines, who outnumbered the civilians, received vocal support from bystanders, who cheered them on and chanted ”USA! USA!”
Watch the video here:
NEW: Group of Marines get into a fight with a group of men outside the Voodoo Room nightclub in Austin, Texas.
Don’t mess with the Marines.
The incident started when an angry woman snagged a phone and threw it into the street. (She was later smacked on accident by one of the… pic.twitter.com/Fr9VD8lHjw
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 19, 2023
Later, Austin Police and Texas Highway Patrol officers arrived on the scene to break up the fight. The video also shows one police officer arresting a civilian lying face down on the pavement. By the end of the video, mounted police arrive while sirens are heard off-camera.
Internet users were shocked to see the clip and posted a variety of comments. While some expressed concern over safety on Sixth Street, others defended the Marines.
One user wrote, ”I don’t condone violence. But just maybe, people should learn to respect our armed forces. The Marines are trained like no others.” Another commented, ”This is why no one should be on 6th Street. it’s chaos & no longer protected by law enforcement unless @TxDPS or military men happen to be in the area.”
A third said, ”The female started it all and the only one of them who looked like he was trying to calm things down got arrested. The lesson is to choose your friends better.”
A fourth said, ”The difference is these Marines will have to account for their actions. I think the video clearly shows restraint before action. I hope their CO sees it the same way.”
Notably, Sixth Street is a renowned downtown bar street in Austin, known for its vibrant entertainment scene.